The present invention relates generally to ink jet recording apparatus of the type where printing ink is discharged from an ink jet printing head toward a writing surface, and more particularly to such an ink jet recording apparatus having a device for quickly removing stagnant ink produced on an ink jet printing head due to ink-mist.
Generally, known is ink jet recording apparatus of the type in which one or a plurality of ink jet printing heads are arranged in close vicinity to recording paper wrapped around a drum as illustrated, for example, in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 53-102036. There is a problem which arises with such an ink jet recording apparatus, however, in that stagnant ink is produced on an ink jet printing head and so on due to ink-mist generated during discharging of printing ink and the produced stagnant ink possibly causes stain of the recording paper. Therefore, it would be required to quickly remove the produced stagnant ink. Furthermore, if the ink jet printing head is cleaned after termination of the recording, it is required that the water used for the cleaning is quickly removed without staying on the ink jet printing head and so on.